STILL PARLEYING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1741, 5 May 1913, Page 5

STILL PARLEYING.

THE OCCUPANCY OF SCUTARI.

THE CONQUEROR'S RIGHTS. By XclcßrapU—Preas Association-Copyright (Rcc. liny 1, 5.5 p.m.) London, May 3. Montenegro's reply to the Powers' demand further denied the right to evict from territory that had been conquered. Uy virtue of tho International Law, it is contended any measures to evict would bo arbitrary and ft restriction of the basis of the peace negotiations with Turkey. Tho inhabitants of Scutari had acclaimed tho Montenegrins' occupancy, and they claimed that this fact should modify the Powers' decision to evacuate, which was held to bo based on insufficient data. WHAT WILL ITALY DO? (ltec. May i, 0.30 a.m.) Vienna, May 3. In tho event of Austria taking action for tho evacuation of Scutari by Montenegrins, it is reported that Italy will not join hands in balancing it by parallel ndtion in the south.

WARSHIPS TO BE IN READINESS, (Roc. May 4, 5.5 p.m.) Rome, May 3. Several battleships have been ordered to Brindisi to hold themselves in readiness. ESSAD PASHA. HOISTS TURKISH FLAG. Athens, May 2. A Corfu telegram states that Essad l'asha,' who, after surrendering at Scutari, was acclaimed King of Albania, has established his Government at Tirana, and.proclaimed autonomy for Albania under Turkey's suzerainty. Ho has hoisted tho Turkish, not the Albanian, flag. The authority of tho Orthodox Church is recognised. The now Government is reported as not being hostile to Greece. BULGARS WITHDRAW FROM SALONIKA. , Athens, May 2. The Bulgarian Regiment, with tho exception of ono company, has evacuated Salonika. THE RACE FOR. SALONIKA. Salonika has been a centre of vivid interest throughout the war between Turkey'and the Balkan League. Supposed to lkivo been an object of covotous regard even to Austria-Hungary, tho city was held to be such a valuable prize by the various Balkan States that in the apportionment of the booty which was to bo .wrested from the Turk it was assigned by popular rumour to no one State, but was set apart to be a "free town" under the joint dominion of all tho Allies. It was generally understood that Greece would permit it to fall into no other hands but hers; and that Bulgaria was equally resolved that if it were to belong to any one State that State must be Bulgaria. So the compromise was canvassed between Balkan statesmen of' making it a "free town." ' That did not prevent a wild and undignified scramble between tho Grecian and Bulgarian Armies for the capture of tho city. Tho two armies attacked from the south and tho north almost simultaneously, tho Greeks having a little advantage of time. But not to that advantage alone was their first entry into Salonika due, if Bulgarian accounts were correct. These accounts hinted at a bargain between the Greeks and tho Turks which put the city into the hands of the less-hated of two enemies. Whatever may bo the truth in thoso stories, the Greek capture of Salonika' was deeply resented, ami tho Bulgarians insisted on occupying it with an armed force too. That began a tragic comedy of jealousy between tho Allies. To assert Bulgarian authority the Crown Prince of Bulgaria went down.to Salonika. He, of course, l>y right of rank was superior to the Grecian general there. Greece responded by the visit of King George. That showed the determination of Greece to uphold her claim to the utmost. A very strained position resulted; but diplomacy intervened, and after a while the Bulgarian Governor-General of Macedonia, who had been ostentatiously stationed .at Salonika, was withdrawn to Sores, and a sensible conclusion seemed to have been arrived at to leave the ultimate fate of tho city to decision after a peace with Turkey had been signed. But during March trouble broke out afresh between Bulgarians and Greeks in the district between Salonika and Seres, and it is probable that that troublo wns responsible for bringing tho King of the Hellenes to the city again.

Salonika, is .inhabited chiefly by Jews of Spanish extraction. But it has long been tho refuge port for the stormy personalities of Balkan politics—"Young Turk" intriguer.% Macedonian revolutionaries. and BulgaTS plotting against tho Turkish, power. The war caused most, of tho Turks to leave Salonika, but the other elements remained, find the divisions between tho Greeks and tho Bulgarians made a government of the city strong enough to clear'out all disorderly elements impossible.